


A new target

by WholockianDalek



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-04-29 05:16:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14465844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WholockianDalek/pseuds/WholockianDalek
Summary: A rewrite of the myth of prometheus from the perspective of the Eagle that is finding it slightly frustrating that the gods are making him do all this.





	A new target

I wasn't sure what he was, or why he was tied to the rock, but food is food. I knew that gods operated here and Zeus did occasionally leave me a gift, someone he needed killing. The instant my talons touched his flesh I knew that this wasn't a simple kill. Digging into his flesh, I realised he was hundreds of times tougher than any other prey. Since tough skin usually leads to bitter flesh. I decided to leave, but was pushed back and fell out of the sky. It was like flying into a window. 

I tried again, same result. 

Moaning slightly, the being I was standing on shuddered. He was awake. As my resting talons dug lightly into his flesh, he whimpered. He couldn't be human, but he was definitely pathetic. If he had been left here by Zeus, he had good reason to give up. I tried to escape a final time. I think it's at that point that I sprained my wing.

Painfully falling, I crashed onto the man’s surprisingly firm bare chest.Like I was a knife against his neck, he seemed to wonder why I wasn't cutting him apart. I didn't want to. He didn't want to. But there seemed to be nothing else to do here. It was the will of the gods.

I carefully chose a point just above his abs, slightly to his left, and between some ribs to get the easiest cut possible. Even with that placement, his skin was extremely difficult to break through and the organs underneath were worse. Finally, I got to something meaty. His liver. I really didn't want to start with the liver, a muscle would be a far preferable flavour but, as if by magic - which it probably was - I could no longer cut any of the surrounding flesh. 

So I started eating his liver. The meaty bright red sack with pinkish and even white edges tore open and released warm rich blood all over my work. Although the liver tasted terrible and was extremely difficult to chew, the blood was magnificent and worked as a kind of gravy for the stringy strangely metallic meat. 

At some point during this meal, I realised my wing didn't hurt anymore. The blood was so powerful it had cured me. When I had finished the last bite of the liver, I felt almost like I was about to throw up. Forgetting for an instant about the veil around us, I flew a few meters away so as not to vomit on my food. 

I realised just at the border of the veil what my mistake had been. I prepared to crash into it. I didn’t. 

Completely astounded at the turn of event, I stared down at the man I had just successfully flown away from and soared out of reach. I wasn’t going to take any risks. 

Feeling surprisingly full, I set off to the other side of the mountain and fell asleep on a particularly nice burnt dead tree.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I woke up, the sun rose over the Caucasus mountains and a fresh new day panned out in front of me. A carpet of pink fluffy clouds with an undertone of red carpeted the mountain so that only the peaks were visible. Overjoyed by the texture, I took off and danced through the damp cool whisps. When I stopped for a drink, I noticed a faint metallic taste, and a trail of red from up the hill. Thinking it was an average injured animal and so an easy kill, I flew uphill. By the time I realised I recognised the surroundings, it was too late. I tried to turn but the veil was back. 

I grew closer and caught sight of the man, tied to the rock. Bored and not wanting to have a fuss, I dug my talons into the man and ate exactly what I had done yesterday. The meat seemed far fresher, like that of a child, like it was new meat. I was extremely surprised and it made it slightly more appetising but hardly worth it. I finished eating the liver and, out of sheer curiosity, pressed my ankle around his neck. I felt a pulse. He was still alive - so a Titan or a God. 

Before I could investigate further, he shuddered strongly and rattled the chains. I must admit I was terrified of him getting out, which is why I fled the scene. This didn't mean I didn’t want to know what was happening. 

Hovering a fair distance away, I watched the miracle of divinity unfurl before me. It was hardly visible at first, a thin white layer like rice paper coating the bottom of my incision. Another layer grew upon it, only visible by its line over the first. Each new sheet grew from   
the sides and floated over the top to meet and form a single uniform covering in the middle. Like thin thread creating thick quilts, seemingly infinitely small layers made a surprisingly large end volume.

The fleshy white mass was now a good 9 inches thick and had a vague bulky shape, like an egg. Suddenly, it squeezed in the middle making the familiar liver shape and flashed blood red. Seconds later, the odours of fresh blood rose to greet me. His new organ had been plugged in. 

I flew slightly closer to investigate. I pulled back. 

 

The process seemed highly interesting and absolutely fresh titan flesh must be fantastic, but I didn’t want to risk ending up stuck down there with another veil. I didn’t actually need it as food, and I had a strange feeling it would be there tomorrow. Still, curiosity got the better of me and I flew down to greet the new liver. 

As I descended, something hit me. I tried at another point, same effect. This was the one scenario I had not anticipated- the veil was now keeping me away from the titan, not holding me against him. Confused at what Zeus was trying to do with him, I flew away followed by a similar looking of confusion decorated with pain and fatigue. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, I just let the winds and the fates take me back to him. Someone really wanted this guy hurt. This time I wanted to experiment a little. First, I hovered on top of him without actually approaching. Before anything obviously mystical happened, I grew extremely hungry, but I tried to ignore it. Somehow, I grew terribly weak and could no longer hold myself in the air. I collapsed onto the body and dug my claws into the closest bit, a leg. To my surprise, the leg was as hard to break into as (insert cool word). I pulled myself along his body to my usual incision and dug in deeply before feasting. I had no power to do otherwise. I had been beaten. 

As I cut open his chest, a loud sigh was heard. I wondered if he had realised I was trying not to eat him. Revitalised by the meat, I could leave this foul place. The gods clearly had some strange strange plan for the two of us, binding our lives.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, I simply avoided the cursed rock. I firmly turned the opposite direction to my potential victim. A strong wind picked up, one that in any other time I would have used to my advantage. To combat such a wind, I would usually settle for a while till it softened then fight against it. This wind did not soften, and instead of ceasing simply strengthened. 

Cursed to return to the body, I stretched my mighty wings which got instantly caught in the wind and pulled towards the man. This time, I decided to start my disobedience closer down. Firstly, I tried to enter at a different point. Sliding my talons across his necks, I was shocked to discover that absolutely no damage was visible around his jugular. 

With scientific determination, I slid my scalpel like claws along his chest. Gradually, I figured out which points would yield and which wouldn't. They formed a really neat circle around his liver. That was definitely what the Gods wanted him to eat. They were strangely petty. 

Curiously, I flew up to see his face. I wondered what he had done to get such a violent punishment. As I approached, he shied away from key and closed his eyes and mouth.

“Don't worry! I’m not going to attack your face! I can't actually…”

Slowly, one eye opened. To show friendly intentions, I backed up slightly and landed onto the floor, no talons touching him. He opened the other, and turned to face me. 

“The gods have strange punishments,” he rasped, his voice unable to produce more than a whisper and cracking slightly. “But why send you? You seem almost reluctant to carry out your duty.”

I tried to talk back, but the ravenous hunger and weakness of my previous refusal had returned. Followed by screams of “No! Wait!”, I collapsed onto his abdomen and dug into him. Having eaten a small section, I felt energised enough to answer him. 

“They don't need me to agree, they just need to be able to control my senses. It hurts to much not to- “ I once again found it difficult to speak and took another bite. He shuddered and groaned. “What did you do to deserve this anyway?”

“I gave the humans fire.” he chuckled, then instinctively pulled at his chains trying to clutch his chest hurt by the movement. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” 

“The humans are really interesting, they're growing so fast. I think they'll do good with fire. Or possibly terrible evil.”

We continued discussing the fate of humanity for an hour, me taking a small bite from his liver every few minutes to stay alive. Then, the second I took the last bite, a strong gust of wind pulled me away from him. In my surprise, I managed to yell four words.

“I'll be back tomorrow!”


End file.
